Bearing for water meter chambers



Nov. 4, 1952 y F. w. KoHouT BEARING RoR WATER METER CHAMBERS Filed Aug. 25, 1949 INVENToR. Vj/aina! .orzzey [im MPM i Z Ef/r R Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED! `2,616,3992

BEARING. 'FOR'WATER METER CHAMBERS Frank W. Kommt, -lVIilWauke"e-,'-'-V1Z1is' .;A assigner-itc- .Badger Meter Manufacturing Company; .Mil-- Y waukee, Wis.; a.'corporationofrWiscohsin Application August 25, 1949,5si-'ia'1 No. 112;.257"

1 Claim. 11 This==inventionrelatesto water meters and the likef--andfparticularly to-the-nutating dis-c and chamber therefor.

The -invention provides a thrust roller vcarried -by'the' disc and a bearing plate member therefor lthe-chamber.l

A further object isto facilitate the machining of `the"chamber to closetolerances to receivethe bearing plate;

Another obil ect 'is to eliminate the-necessity of a locking `pin-to maintain the lcorrect positions of the partsA comprising the -meter chamber.

Another object is to ensure the accurate positioning of the plate member within the cham.- berwhen the'same is assembled.

These and .other objectsand advantages will be more fully setforth in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying, drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a water meter with the lower portion thereof broken away to show vthel disc housing whichfissectioned to show theinterior chamber;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the disc as disposed within the lower half of the chamber showing the bearing roller in eng-agement with the plate member;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the chamber and disc taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 with the bearing insert for the roller removed; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the bearing insert adapted to be disposed in the slot shown in Fig. 4.

The meter I shown in the drawing includes the outer housing 2 having inlet and outlet pipe connections 3 and 4, respectively, and the gear train 5 adapted to drive the register, not shown, in the upper part of housing 2.

The disc Ii operates in the chamber 1 in the lower part of housing 2 in response to the ow of water through the meter, as will be more fully described, and carries the spindle 8 which engages and rotates the driving pawl 9 carried on the lower end of shaft I0 of gear train 5.

Chamber 1 is comprised of the cast upper and lower members "I I- and-12; respectively; which joinin'a horizontal 'plane passing through the center of chamber-1 andfarezp-rovidednwith "ntefri lock-ingannula-r fl-'anges 4I3 fwhicl'iv 1locat'e-"tir'emem- `bersiaterally.-`

The compleinentaryf, sphericalportions= 714* of members I I and `12in-the 'center of ichamberf ycarrythe spherical 'centerpiece vI5 off-discf-'to support the latter-within chamber "Tjwh'ileaallowe ing 1imteii'- rotational loveinent -o 'the""diSc",4v in anydirection: A f 1 The outer -dimension'of y"chamber 1 vi's- 'spherical as at AvI-iiiand ts within-closetolerances-theouter diameter-of disc-Ii.w y l l The upper" and lower faces -1 lof ych'afinb'er -1 are-frustoecon-ica'l vand are/fdimensi-'on-ed'fs-o that upper and lower faces of disc 6 whenjtiltedfin anydrectionma-ke's 'af-line contactv on opposite sides withfa'cesn. y l

Thegra'di'al slot" I tl'jin-` di-'sc'il fis provided -toffaccommodate thej partitionn I9 disposed-:vertically and radiallyof the center lof chamber `(1 and4 carried within 'the 'slots'y -2Il-'15'ormed'fv 'oppositel'y in members II and I2.

SpindleisY carried jby-"disc' 6- and'- ex nds through -the"tent/e1" opgenirig'rZ I in -rr`iei1`ber-`land engages the lconical Iroller1l2-carriediby-sh txIU tilted position at all tiniesf dividing f chamber-1 into parts y'of *variable "-volume'according tci'th'e tiltedpositionzof the'fdisc -witl1'-re'specttopaitie tion I9: y

In the operation of 'meter-I ,fthe watervent'eriig inlet connection 3 into housing 2 and through the screen 23 passes into chamber 1 and through the Aopening 24 on one side of partition I9. The pressure of the Water expands the sections of chamber 1 to which the water is admitted by moving disc 6 in a nutating movement as controlled by roller 22. With the expansion of one divided section of chamber 1, as described, the disc discharges the water on the opposite side thereof through the opening 25 in the side of chamber 1 and adjacent partition I9 oppositely of opening 24.

Opening 25 of chamber 1 registers with outlet 4 of housing 2 for delivery of the Water from the meter through the outlet in the direction of arrow 26.

The movement of disc 6, through spindel 8 engaging pawl 9, rotates shaft I0 in predetermined relation to the volume of water passing through chamber 1 to register the same through mechanism 5.

In practice, the frictional resistance to movement encountered by disc 6 tends to cause the disc to be rotated in the direction of water flow through chamber 1 until one side of slot I8 in disc 6 engages partition I9. To prevent this, the thrust roller 21 fixed on the end of the small shaft or pin 28 is disposed at the periphery of disc 6 opposite slot I 8 of the disc and moves therewith vertically in the end-milled slot 29 in the outer wall I6 of members vII and I2. Pin 28 carrying roller 21 is loosely disposed for rotation within the hole 30 drilled in the outer periphery of the disc. Hole 39 is offset slightly from a radial position to provide a slight axial thrust of roller 21 against disc 6.

According to the invention, the insert plate 3| facing one side of slot 29 extends the length of the slot to provide a bearing surface for roller 21, and is secured between members II and I2 by the small projecting center portion 32 dovetailedV between members II and I2.

Plate 3l is curved on a center radius corresponding with the center of chamber 1 and is shaped at each end to t the circular ends of slot 29vlas formed by the milling cutter, not shown.

Projection 32 is formed integrally with plate 3I and ts the small slots 33 which are milled through the Wall of each member II and I2 so as to locate plate 3| against the side of slot 29. The bottom of each slot 33 extends angularly .and oppositely to fit projection 32.

Plate 3| may be formed by stamping of nickelcopper or other corrosion resistant metal or of various rigid synthetic plastics having good wear resistance. In designing plate 3| for stamping, the inner corners of projection 32 may be cut away as at 34 to allow for subsequent die wear and accommodate any overhanging metal in slots 33. A

Plate 3I extends across the parting line between members I I and I2 and prevents clicking which develops ordinarily if roller 21 is allowed to ride directly against the sides of slot 29 notwithstanding all eiorts to secure members I I and I2 in proper relation as by means of a pin or the like.

Projection 32, fitting in slots 33, serves to lock chamber members II and I2 in rotative relation preparatory to securing the members.

' The dovetailed projection 32 provides adequate securing of plate 3I without other means and, as has been stated above, need not extend any appreciable depth or such as to weaken the walls of members II and I2, but may be cut through the walls in a simple milling operation.

The projection need not be a press t in slots 33 and will not, if loose, even then allow plate 3| to be displaced appreciably so as to interfere with the movement of disc 6.

Plate 3I is readily dimensioned to maintain close clearances with respect to slot 29 and its positioning may be entirely determined bythe Y depth of cut of slots 33.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope of the accompanying claim.

I claim:

In a disc-type expansible chamber for water meters and the like, a disc, separable complementary cast metal members joining in a transverse plane and defining a chamber adapted to receive said disc for nutating movement therein through said transverse plane, a thrust roller carried by said disc at the periphery thereof, said members having adjoining recesses for movement of said roller in an arc defining a plane substantially normal to said transverse plane and having coplanar adjoining walls at one side of said recesses parallel to said normal plane, said chamber members having oppositely disposed slots formed in the corresponding meeting edges thereof outwardly of and opening into said recesses adjacent to said adjoining walls, the depth of said slots from the corresponding edges of .the members being insuflicient to cause appreciable distortion of the chamber members when the slots are cut therein, and a single-piece at bearing member disposed in said recesses and having a body seated against said Walls of said recesses and disposed between said Walls and said roller to support the radial thrust of said roller, said bearing member having a coextensive, at dovetailed projection extending into said slots, and said slots being of complemental depths to Vform a dovetailed interlock with said projection and positively secure said bearing member against movement in said normal plane and against displacement by said roller. n Y

FRANK W. KOHOUT.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Krueger June 3, 194i 

